Do You Need a Hearing Aid?
The Hearken H85 Hearing Aid
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The Effect of Age on Hearing
According to government statistics, 1 in 10 people over 40 (or 10% of everyone) would benefit from hearing aids; for people over 60, this increases to 1 in 2 (an incredible 50% of everyone!). Hearing ability decreases 1% per annum. Former president Mr. Bill Clinton wears hearing aids in both ears; former president Reagan wore hearing aids; and former Canadian prime minister Jean Chretien wears hearing aids. As we age, the parts of our body do not function as well as when we were younger (eyesight deteriorates; hair thins and loses its color; teeth deteriorate).
Age-related hearing loss leads to communication problems that can increase over time. Hearing aids provide amplification, which helps. The Hearken H85 hearing aid is powerful, and is capable of increasing volume output to 90 DB.
The hearing aid is relatively inexpensive and it is very functional and does its job well.
—M.C., Victoria, BC Canada, November 2008
Effects of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss erodes your quality of life in many ways and in many areas of your life. From feelings of isolation to misdiagnosis of medical problems, the side-effects of hearing loss bring stress upon you, your family, and your friends. We have heard from many that they wish they had opted for the use of hearing aids much sooner than they did, and about how much their quality of life has improved. With a chuckle, people report how silly their reasons were for not wanting to wear hearing aids: they did not want to "look old"; they thought the hearing aids would be uncomfortable to wear. Many people simply did not realize that their hearing was gradually deteriorating!
The Impact of Stress Related to Hearing Loss
- Fatigue
- Tension
- Crankiness
- Nervousness
- Anxiety
- Impulsiveness
- Fearfulness
You may also encounter other symptoms, none of which were part of your earlier behavior. This new behavior is caused by your hearing difficulties. Think back to your early days when you had no problem hearing. Are you not acting differently? Your brain is now totally committed to hearing, and subsequently its other functions and activities are reduced.
Interests and Attentiveness
Most normal conversations concern work, leisure, friends, and family. In this common type of conversation, 90% of the discussion is old and familiar information, and 10% is new data. If you miss some words or phrases, your knowledge and experience allow you to follow the conversation. A similar analogy is your ability to read familiar subject matter quickly.
Uncommon conversation requires a different background skill. You must concentrate totally in order to understand the content of the conversation. If you miss a word or phrase, the meaning becomes confused. You either ask the speaker to repeat, or you withdraw physically and/or mentally from the conversation. Neither option is desirable. You could justify your behavior by saying that you are not interested. This could lead your friends to begin to ignore you.
Aggressive Behavior or Passive Behavior
Did you know that aggressive behavior has been linked to hearing loss? When you focus totally on the conversation and do not allow it to develop in a more casual manner, your behavior can unconsciously become aggressive (or perceived as such by others). Your intention is to effectively participate in the discussion, but you may be perceived to be aggressive, pushy, arrogant, difficult, or hostile.
Passive behavior occurs when you allow the conversation to flow and drift, even when you are missing key parts of the dialogue. In effect, you could be considered a team player that is on the bench.
Psychological Changes
People could say that your personality has changed. You are not the fun person they once knew (the idea of a grumpy old man). Have you changed? No! You are tense from concentrating fully on the conversation. Any perceived changes could be caused by you missing part of the dialogue. How can you react normally or in your usual manner if you did not completely hear and understand what others are saying?
The Improvement in Your Quality of Life
If your hearing has declined, chances are very slim that it will improve on its own. That is the unfortunate reality. If your hearing has declined, you should consider wearing hearing aids for one month on a trial basis now. You could be hearing better right now! Try them! You owe it to yourself and to your family.
Good Health Practices
- Consult your family doctor regularly.
- Ask specifically for a review or inspection of your hearing system.
- Consult your doctor immediately if you experience any abnormalities.
Sources of Information
Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
